Training for a Cork '09 Sub 3

Gringo78

As suggested in the title, I am intending to run my first marathon in Cork and am aiming for a sub 3hr marathon. I've decided to start a training log so that post June I can go back and disect where I went wrong! Sub 3 hr is ambitious at the moment but with under 13 weeks to go I think I have the time to get there. Ballycotton 10 on Sunday will tell me if I'm close enough on the pace for it. My main aim is to do a marathon, sub 3hr is my secondary goal and if its not on with 2 or 3 weeks to go before the marathon, I will set a more realistic goal time then.

I started running from scratch this time 12 months ago and have dropped my times steadily month by month and am still on a steep improvement curve and almost where I need to be at time wise. Up to a long run of 14 miles and will steadily up this week by week between now and June. Not following any particular marathon training schedule, I just make sure I train 6 times a week, with a long run, a speed session and a tempo run and the the other days are easy run fillers. I'm going to stick with this strategy for the moment.

Long runs are my hardest session to make the time for as I tend not to run saturdays/Sundays (other than for the odd race) but now that the mornings are getting longer i will start to do the long run on a weekday morning. Luckily have great places to run from the doorstep at work and a shower at work so that makes a big difference, lets me get out at luinchtime also for a 4/5 mile run.

So, won't be logging anything major here over the next few days as winding down for Ballycotton, but thats the last race i'll take seriously between now and the marathon - any others will just be tempo training sessions.

shels4ever

Best of luck with the log, Whats your current pb for the marathon?

Gringo78

Never done a marathon before. Did a 1:20 half in training about 7 years ago but got injured shortly after and never really ran again but i should still have the pace as was 23 yrs old then. Still need to lose about a stone before the marathon though

Krusty_Clown

Good luck with the training, and let us know how you get on in Balycotton.

Myggel

Don't want to rain on your parade but sub 3 hr first time out isn't that realistic. Also, the Cork route isn't the flattest by all accounts, I stand to be corrected.
I reckon first time out just aim to finish at the best pace you can. At least then you have a bench mark to improve upon. Going out too fast might wreck your second half and actually result in a worse time than if you pace yourself properly.

Also, make sure you get a proper pair of runners. I got mine in amphibian king in Bray. Wherever you get them, try to get them somewhere that checks your stride and gives you runners to take that into account. Well worth the effort. Nothing worse than blisters on the day, so pointless and avoidable.

Gringo78

Thanks for advice myggel. As i said i'll aim for sub 3 for now but will pick my race pace 2 weeks beforehand. Am also firm believer in consistent pace with slightly negative splits is best way to race.

village runner

Gringo78 wrote: »

Never done a marathon before. Did a 1:20 half in training about 7 years ago but got injured shortly after and never really ran again but i should still have the pace as was 23 yrs old then. Still need to lose about a stone before the marathon though

Once a runner always one.
If you could do that in training(1.20) you could have gone 2-3 min quickers in a race. Lose that stone and your a shoe in if you get back to that 2002 shape.
What your reckon you will do Ballycotton in ??

Gringo78

The stone will be hard to lose. Reckon 2lb a month is about all i can do which is only half stone by marathon therefore defo won't get back to 2002 shape by june. Aiming for sub 65 for ballycotton

Gringo78

40min on elliptical trainer in gym this morning. Having trouble with left soleus recently and trying to rest it a for a few days before ballycotton and find the elliptical trainer good for keeping the spirits up when not running. Took great resolve though not to hop off and onto a treadmill though

chinguetti

Gringo78, all the best with the training for the sub 3 hours for Cork. Doing it myself and its my first marathon too. I'm following a plan for under 4 hours and training going ok but should know more about how realistic that is after Connemara Half in 2 weeks.

Gringo78

Cheers Chinguettit. Best of luck with the training, first marathon is daunting. Too early to think about time yet, Connemara will give you an idea but if you don't have a previous base of running of running for years, the marathon training itself will be improving you week on week anyway, so don't get caught up in times until closer to June. it is important to pick the correct time to aim for though.

Gringo78

Didn't do anything on Saturday in light of ballycotton on Sunday. Ran 68min so was better than my Mallow 10 time anyways. Had to make a toilet stop at 7miles and was really dying to go from about mile 4. Never had to make a stop before but I learned anyways I should have just stopped when I had to as I felt much better after doing so. finished strong with my fastest mile of the race at the end so was happy with that. Have done very little running on the raod over the last 4 weeks due to injury but am ok today so will try to get out of the gym and back on the roads now.

Gringo78

Just over 5 miles this morning on the treadmill at 8:00min/ml pace. felt good after it as legs felt ok for first time in a good number of weeks. Spent a good 15min stretching afterwards and some core exercises.
Will go for a swim this evening to try to loosen out the last of the stiffness from Ballycotton and should be good for a hill session tomorrow then.

Gringo78

Went for a swim yesterday evening after work.....did about 12 lengths is all, hadn't been swimming in years and its something I always hated doing but quite enjoyed it. Might try now to go at least once a week, would love to do a sprint triathlon next year maybe and I think it could take me that long to build up the swimming! I'd say i've never done more than 12 lengths in my life.

Did 5 miles on the treadmill this morning starting at a very easy pace building up very slowly to 7:00min/ml. Read a post by somebody a few weeks ago about Running like a Kenyan and how they train and one of the things they do is build up their pace very slowly from almost a stumble on every run. Can't argue with the results of their training! so taking those points on board. Felt good after the run and looking back on things, I don't think i ever realy warmed up properly. Started out at 10min/ml pace and took 10 mins to get to 7:45min/ml pace. I'd normally belt away into my desired pace after 2 or 3 min warmup.

Gringo78

Football last night and was a bit sore this morning, only did 15min easy on the treadmill then this morning (I was a bit slow out of bed this morning so it was all I had time for) and some stretching and core work. Calf is holding up good though now that I'm looking after it more and stretching the Soleus which is what I was missing.

Gringo78

6 miles at lunchtime today out on the road...7:40 pace overall and kept it steady, no ill effects after which was good as I'm trying to move back towards doing the bulk of my running on the road.

Gringo78

No running on saturday as usual. Did 4 miles on the road on Sunday, v.easy 8min/ml but felt tough although that was prob cos there were a few hills (ran a route I hadn't ran before). A 5 mile walk on Tuesday with teh OH and then gym this morning - Yasso 800's at 6min/ml pace. Could only do 4 complete and couldn't complete the 5th. Twas my first time doing them since Jan so will try to do it once a week now increasing by 1 a week. Some stretching and core exercises after then.

Gringo78

Week 11 Miles Summary (March 9th to 15th 2009
M – 0 T – 5 W – 5 T – 2.5 F – 6 S - 0 S – 4
22.5 miles

Gringo78

7 miles @ 7:40 pace this morning out on the road rather than the gym...twas good to get out in the fresh air for a change.

Gringo78

3.5 miles on the treadmill this morning at 8:00 pace. Calf was feeling a bit sore yesterday after running on the road so was in 2 minds about actually running this morning but went with it and was all fine

Gringo78

8 miles @7:40 pace this morning on the road. Purging all the alcohol of the weekend from the system. Felt very good.

Gringo78

7 miles @7:40 pace this morning on the road. Going to build up to miles now in the mornings and go from predominately 4/5 mile runs to 7/8 mile runs and longer. Was mostly doing less than 20 miles per week in '08 and since start of december in '08 was only averaging 10-15 miles per week so need to step it up between now and the marathon in June (carefully)

Gringo78

Week 12 Miles Summary (March 16th to 22nd 2009
M – 0 T – 0 W – 4 T – 7 F – 3.5 S - 0 S – 0
14.5 miles

Gringo78

6.25 miles @ 7:50 pace this morning. Took it nice and easy and no problems with calf so was good. Its been a while since I'd even done 2 consecutive days on the road so was in 2 minds about whether to go to the gym this morning or go out on the road. Glad I chose the road.

Gringo78

6.6 miles @ 8:00 pace this morning. Thought I was flying it at the start but when I turned into the wind for the final 2 miles it was tough....was barely making forward progress the wind was so strong.

Got a new pair of runners Asics GT2140s....trying them out as a lighter, cheaper option to Kayano 14's which is what I have been using, seemed fine this morning so so far so good.

Gringo78

27th March

Just over 10 miles @ 7:45 pace, over half in the woods on trails. Great run except for getting caught in a small hail shower!

Gringo78

Week 13 Miles Summary (March 23rd to 29th 2009)
M – 8 T – 7 W – 6.25 T – 6.6 F – 10 S - 0 S – 0
37.85 miles

Gringo78

30th March

8.75 miles @ 7:30 pace this morning. Felt great, must have been the rest on sat/sun after increasing the training a bit last week.

Gringo78

31st March

6.85 miles @ 7:45 pace this morning. Felt a bit tired this morning and couldn't drag myself out of bed as early as normal.

Gringo78

6.8 miles this morning @7:45 pace overall but threw in 2 x 1 min at 6:00 pace when i was in the woods cos I've done no speed or tempo runs of any description in the last 2 weeks and thinking about running a 10k on Sunday.

Gringo78

6.85 miles this morning @ 7:30 pace. Had a few pints last night so wasn't expecting to be great but was grand. Weather is so good these mornings, great to be out running.